Police urge caution after $7m Western Union heist

The St Mary police are urging business operators to be extra cautious in order to minimise the risk of break-ins or robberies after a Western Union outlet in Oracabessa was robbed of close to $7 million yesterday.

Head of the St Mary Police Division, Superintendent Bobette Morgan-Simpson, said that the intruders wore masks and also spray-painted security cameras before prying the grille open and removing a vault containing Jamaican and foreign currency. A Hawkeye response team was alerted after 3 a.m. and, upon arrival, realised the place was broken into.

Morgan-Simpson encouraged business operators to "put in every kind of security measures that they can".

"Be very vigilant of their surroundings, see who might be coming in to scout out the location. Persons just come in, not buying anything but just come in looking around. You have to be careful of those persons, take note of them, look for any distinguishing marks," she said. "A lot of times when these persons go to do these break-ins or robberies, they usually do their homework. Sometimes they have persons inside who are assisting the criminals out there. So business persons have to be very careful of who they employ, ensure that they do the various checks and to ensure they are very vigilant where their business is concerned."